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Student Handout #4

Topic: Software on the Computer


prepared by Mr. Lemuel C. Condes

4.1 INTRODUCTION
A Software generally refers to any type of executable code that can be launched in a computer system. It is
designed to implement and complete specific functions that are required by the user in his activities. Software can be
developed and distributed freely (freeware) by programmers in various communities and forums, or they can be sold
commercially either online or in computer stores by software companies like Microsoft, Adobe, and Sony among others.
Some computer experts believe that software can be categorized as general application (can be installed and used by any
organization) or customized (developed to cater to the specific needs of a particular group or enterprise). General
application software like the Microsoft Office Productivity Suite for example can also be customized and tailor fitted to the
needs of a specific organization. This is done by using macro commands and a bit of programming.
4.2 OPERATING SYSTEM: HIDDEN SOFTWARE
When a brand-new computer comes off the factory
assembly line, it can do nothing. The hardware needs
software to make it work. Part of the story is the
applications software, such as word processing or
spreadsheet software, that allows users to perform useful
User
work. This type of software will be discussed further. But
Applications
applications software cannot communicate directly with the
hardware, so the operating system software serves as
Operating System
intermediary between the applications software and the
Hardware
hardware. An operating system is a set of programs that
lies between applications software and the hardware; it is
the fundamental software that controls access to other
hardware and software resources. The picture beside
illustrates this concept. Incidentally, the term systems
software is often used interchangeably with operating
A conceptual diagram of an operating system. Closest to the user are
system, but systems software means all programs related
applications programs. The operating system is the set of programs between the
applications programs and the hardware
to coordinating computer operations. Systems software
includes the operating system but also includes
programming language translators and a variety of utility programs.
Note that we said that an operating system is a set of programs. The most important program in the operating
system, the program that manages the operating system, is the kernel, most of which remains in memory and is therefore
referred to as resident. The kernel controls the entire operating system and loads into memory other operating system
programs (called nonresident) from disk storage only as needed.
No matter what operating system is being used, when the computer is turned on, the kernel will be loaded from
the hard drive into the computers memory, thus making it available for use. This process of loading the operating system
into memory is called bootstrapping, or booting, the system. The word booting is used because, figuratively speaking,
the operating system pulls itself up by its own bootstraps. When the computer is turned on, a small program stored on a
ROM chip performs some internal hardware components tests, and then loads the kernel from the hard disk.
An operating system has three main functions: (1) managing the computers resources, such as central
processing unit, memory, disk drives, and printers; (2) establishing a user interface; and (3) executing and providing
services for applications software. Keep in mind, however, that much of the work of an operating system is hidden from
the user; many necessary tasks are performed behind the scenes. In particular, the first listed function managing the
computers resources is taken care of without the user being aware of the details. Furthermore, all input and output
operations, although invoked by an applications program, are actually carried out by the operating system.
Although many of its functions are hidden from view, you will have to communicate directly with the operating
system to begin using an applications software package and to perform various housekeeping tasks. This communication
occurs through the operating systems user interface, which determines how the user interacts with the operating
system. The two basic forms of user interfaces are the Command-line Interface (CLI) and the Graphical User Interface
(GUI). The command-line interface is text-based and requires you to type in complete operating system commands. MSDOS, UNIX, Linux, and many large-computer operating systems use a command-line interface. GUIs use visual images
and menus to allow users to enter commands. Windows and Mac OS use GUIs. Some installations of Linux and UNIX are
set up to offer a GUI.
4.3 TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEM
If you browse the software offerings at a retail store, you will generally find the software grouped according to the
platform on which the software can run. The term platform refers to a combination of computer hardware and operating
system software. The most common microcomputer platform today consist of some version of Microsoft Windows running
on an Intel-based PC, often referred to as Wintel PC for short. Generally, applications software word processing,
spreadsheets, games, whatever can run on just one platform. Just as you cannot place a Nissan engine in a Ford truck
and expect it to run, you cannot take a version of WordPerfect that was designed to run on a computer using the Intel
Platform and run it on an Apple Macintosh using the Mac OS operating system. Software makers must decide for which

platform to write an applications software package, although some make versions of their software for more than one
platform.
Most users do not set out to buy an operating system; they want computers and the applications software to make
them useful. However, since the operating system determines what software is available for a given computer, users must
at least be aware of their own computers operating system.
Although operating systems differ, many of their basic functions are similar. Let us briefly examine some of the
common types of operating system today.
OPERATING
SYSTEM

WINDOWS 10

WINDOWS 8

WINDOWS 7

DESCRIPTION
Windows 10 is the latest release of Microsoft's
Windows operating system and the successor to the
underwhelming Windows 8 (and Windows 8.1).
Initially codenamed Windows Threshold, Windows
10 debuted on July 29, 2015, following a "technical
preview" beta release of the new operating
system that arrived in Fall 2014 and a "consumer
preview" beta in early 2015.
With Windows 8 suffering from mostly
negative reactions by both enterprises and
consumers, Microsoft chose to eschew going with
the logical next iteration of Windows, Windows 9,
opting instead for the name Windows 10.
The next major release of the Microsoft
Windows operating system, Windows 8 officially
debuted on October 26th, 2012 following a release
to manufacturing on August 1st.
According to Microsoft, Windows 8 is a
completely redesigned operating system developed
from the ground up with touch screenuse in mind as
well as near-instant-on capabilities that enable a
Windows 8 PC to load and start up in a matter of
seconds rather than in minutes.
Windows
8
replaces
the
more
traditional Microsoft Windows OS look and feel with
a new design system interface codenamed "Metro"
that first debuted in the Windows Phone 7 mobile
operating system. The Metro user interface primarily
consists of a "Start screen" made up of "Live Tiles,"
which are links to applications and features that are
dynamic and update in real time. Users will also be
able to switch between apps in Metro by simply
swiping across the screen.
Windows 7 made its official debut to the public
on October 22, 2009 as the latest in the 25-year-old
line of Microsoft Windows operating systems and as
the successor to Windows Vista (which itself had
followed Windows XP). Windows 7 was released in
conjunction with Windows Server 2008 R2,
Windows 7's server counterpart.
Enhancements and new features in Windows
7 include multi-touch support, Internet Explorer 8,
improved performance and start-up time, Aero
Snap, Aero Shake, support for virtual hard disks, a
new and improved Windows Media Center, and
improved security.
Another important change in Windows 7 is the
replacement of Windows Vista's Quick Launch
toolbar with a new "Superbar" that makes it possible
for applications to be pinned to the taskbar. The
"Superbar" also adds features like Jump Lists and
Aero Peek.
An initial service pack (SP) for Windows 7 is
currently in development, with the official release of
Windows 7 SP1 expected in early 2011.

PICTURE

WINDOWS XP

WINDOWS 98

Windows XP is an operating system


introduced in 2001 from Microsoft's Windows family
of operating systems, the previous version of
Windows being Windows Me. The "XP" in Windows
XP stands for eXPerience.
Microsoft called the XP release its most
important product since Windows 95. Along with a
redesigned look and feel to the user interface, the
new operating system was built on the Windows
2000 kernel, giving users a more stable and reliable
environment than previous versions of Windows.

Originally it was called Memphis, and


then Windows 97, but Microsoft changed the name
when it realized that it was going to miss its target
1997 release date.
Windows 98 offers support for a number of
new technologies, including FAT32, AGP, MMX,
USB, DVD, and ACPI. Its most visible feature,
though, is the Active Desktop, which integrates
the Web
browser (Internet
Explorer)
with
the operating system. From the user's point of view,
there is no difference between accessing a
document residing locally on the user's hard disk or
on a Web server halfway around the world.

MAC OS

The official name of the Macintosh operating


system. Earlier versions were called System
x.x, where x.x were the version numbers. With the
release of Mac OS 8, however, Apple dropped
the System moniker.

LINUX

Pronounced lee-nucks or lih-nucks. A freelydistributable open source operating system that runs
on a number of hardware platforms. The Linux
kernel was developed mainly by Linus Torvalds and
it is based on Unix. Because it's free, and because it
runs on many platforms, including PCs and
Macintoshes, Linux has become an extremely
popular alternative to proprietary operating systems.

ANDROID

Android is a mobile operating system (OS)


currently developed by Google, based on the Linux
kernel and designed primarily for touchscreen
mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

4.4 WINDOWS 7 OVERVIEW


Please refer to the attached 13-page file named Introduction to Windows 7.
4.6 HOW TO INSTALL SOFTWARE ON THE COMPUTER
Now that you're done assembling the hardware and have put everything together, you're past all the difficult
stages the rest is a cakewalk. Here's how to install your operating system and applications and get everything up and
running.
4.6.1 Install the Operating System
If you've never installed an Operating System before, it's remarkably easy. If you have, I'd still suggest reading
through this guide to make sure you've got it all down. Installing Windows on a custom machine can take a few extra
steps than installing it on a pre-built machine. For this guide, we're going to use Windows 7 as an example, but you can of
course install Windows XP, Linux, or even Mac OS X. Its a general guide and applicable to almost any kinds of operating
system.

Step One: Edit your BIOS


When you first start up your computer, it'll tell you to press a key to
enter setup, usually DEL. This takes you to the setup of your Basic
Input/Output System, or BIOS. Here, you can configure some of the lowestlevel aspects of your new machine. You may not actually need to edit any of
these settings, but it's a good idea to go through, get acquainted with them,
and make sure everything's in good order before moving on.
Note that the BIOS will be a little bit different on different brands of
motherboard, so your screen may not look exactly like the images here, but it
should be close.
First, make sure that everything's been installed correctly. If you have a
System Information page in your BIOS, head there and make sure the amount
of RAM listed is the same amount you put in. If it isn't detecting all of your
RAM, some of it might not be seated correctly, so go back and fix that before
continuing. If there isn't a System Information page in your BIOS, your
motherboard probably lists the amount of RAM it detects on the POST screen,
right after you press the power button.
Find the SATA configuration option, and make sure its configured as
AHCI. If you're running Windows XP you'll need to change this to IDE,
otherwise AHCI is probably what you want to go with.
Lastly, find the "Boot Order" or "Boot Priority" page. Make sure your
DVD drive is the first drive on the list (or your USB drive if you're installing
from a flash drive), and that the hard drive you'll be installing to is second.
Note that some BIOS utilities split this up into two menusone for setting the
boot order for your different media (CD-ROM, hard disks, USB disks) and
another that lets you choose the order of just the hard drives.
If you don't see your hard drive listed, it may not be plugged in correctly
or it may be dead. Turn your computer off and re-check the connection if
necessary.

Step Two: Install Windows


Before you install Windows, make sure you have the optimal version for
your system. That is, if you have more than 4GB of RAM, you'll want to use
64-bit Windows instead of the standard 32-bitthat will allow your system to
take advantage of all of your RAM.
Once you've got the right version of Windows, grab the installation DVD
(or flash drive, if that be the case) and pop it in. Start up your computer and it
should automatically boot into the Windows installer. If you ever get a "Press
any key to boot from CD" option, make sure to hit a key on your keyboard to
continue.
Once the installer loads, hit the "Install Now" button, accept the terms of
use, and choose "Custom (advanced)" when asked what type of installation
you want. Find your primary hard drive (if you have more than one), click on
the "Unallocated Space" partition, and hit Next. Windows should start
installing.
If you aren't using a brand new drive, you may have to format it first.
Click on the currently-used partition, click "Drive options (advanced)", and
then hit "Format". It should format the drive to be Windows-compatible, after
which you can hit next and let the installation run.
From there, the rest is just a waiting game. Leave your computer alone
to do its thing. It'll copy all the necessary files to your disk and reboot a
number of times in the process. You'll know you're done when you hear the
familiar startup chime and boot into the default Windows 7 desktop.

Step Three: Install Your Drivers


The last thing you need to do before you actually use your computer is
install your drivers. If your Ethernet or Wi-Fi works out-of-the-box, Windows
may find most or all of your drivers for you. If not, you'll need to pop in the CD
that came with your motherboard to install the Ethernet or Wi-Fi drivers you
need to access the internet. Don't install any other drivers from that CD just
yet.
Once you've got the internet up and running, Windows will install drivers
for you. It might not catch everything though, so you'll have to install some
manually. The CDs that came with your motherboard, video card, and other
hardware are probably already out of date, so I don't recommend using them
to install drivers.
Instead, you'll want to download the drivers manually from the
manufacturer's web site. Head to your motherboard's support page and
download any necessary drivers, including chipset, audio, SATA, and any
other drivers listed. Note that you probably only want the driversyou don't
want the extra bundled software it offers, unless there's something in there
you really want. For your video drivers, download them straight from NVIDIA
or AMD's web site rather than the card manufacturer's site.

Step Four: Install Windows Updates


The last thing you'll want to do is get Windows up to date. Chances are,
you've already gotten a notification from Windows Update at this point, but if
not, head into your Start Menu, go to Programs, and hit Windows Update.
Install all the updates it gives you, and reboot your computer. Check for
updates again and it'll have a whole new slew of them for you. You'll have to
do this quite a few times, but eventually it should stop serving you notifications
and you'll be all up to date. When you are, you're ready to actually start using
your computer.
This is also a good time to get some antivirus on your machine, as well
as any other basic apps you want.

Congratulations! You've bought, built, and set up a working computer from start to finish! Don't be alarmed if you
feel an overwhelming sense of pride; that's normal. Enjoy your new custom-built machine!
4.6.2 Install the Applications
The installation process for applications software depends on your operating
system and the program you are installing. As a result of these many combinations, we
have created the steps below as a general guideline. The following does not cover errors
during the installation process, as they are too vast for one document. You can ask
Google for further information on errors during the setup.
General Tips

Make sure your computer meets the system requirements of the program, game,
or utility you are attempting to install.
The manual or the readme file contains exact instructions on how to install a
program and are in the same directory as the installation files.
When installing a program, utility, or game, it is always a good idea first to close or
disable any other programs that are running.
After installing a new program, if it prompts you to reboot the computer, do it.

Microsoft Windows Users


Autorun from a CD or DVD
Many software programs, games, and utilities have an AutoPlay feature. This feature
automatically starts a setup screen for the software program when inserting a CD or
DVD. If your program contains this feature, follow the steps that appear after
inserting the disc.
No Autorun Feature
1. Open My Computer.
2. Within the My Computer window, open the drive that contains the installation
files. For example, if the files are on the CD-ROM drive, open the D: drive or
letter of your CD-ROM drive. Or if the files are on a USB flash drive, open the E:
drive or letter of your USB flash drive.
3. Within
the
drive
that
contains
your
files,
locate
either
the executable setup or install file. Double-clicking on this file starts the
installation process. If you see multiple setup or install files, try to locate an executable file or double-click each of
the setup or install files until you find the file that starts the installation. Many times the icons associated with the
installation files have the same name.
An alternate method for starting installation in Microsoft Windows
1. Click Start and Run.
2. In the Run window, type x:\setup or x:\install, where x is the letter of the install drive.
Installing from a Download
1. If the file you downloaded is an executable file, double-click the file icon to start the setup process. If the
downloaded file is compressed (e.g. .zip), you must extract the file's contents before setup can begin. Fortunately,
this function is build into most versions of Windows.
2. Once the files are extracted, double-click the setup to install.

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